Biopsy device



l. SILVERMAN Sept. 26, 1961 BIOPSY DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 26, 195'? l. SILVERMAN BIOPSY`DEVICE! Sept. 26, 1961 2 Sheets-5heet 2 Filed Dec. 26, 1957 BIOPSY DEVICE `Irving Silverman, 2726 Bedford Ave., Brooklyn, N .Y. Filed Dec. 26, 1957, Ser. No. 705,450

9 Claims. (Cl. 12S-2) The present invention relates to biopsy devices and particularly to the tissue holding and retaining member thereof and its position relative to the biopsy needle. This application is a continuation-impart of my co-pending application, Serial No. 593,094, tiled .lune 22, 1956 and now abandoned. 1 t

In order to secure a specimen of suspected tissue for biopsy purposes, needles are employed that may be inserted into the suspected area to receive a mass of tissue. The problem has been to retain suliicient of the received tissue, when the needle is withdrawn, to meet .requirements of the examination and for this purpose, tissue gripping members in accordance with United States Letters Patent No. 22,198,319 have been employed. The principal objective of the present invention is to render membersof that general type suiciently positive in their operation to ensure that adequate specimens are obtained. In accordance with the invention, a tissue holding member is dimensioned for slidable entry into a tissue piercing and receiving needle. The tissue holding member includes a pair of resilient arms joined at one end and having their free ends beveled to be urged apart when the member is so advanced relative to the needle as toV enter the freeends of the arms into tissue beyond the end of the' needle. The proximate faces of the armsl have tissue receiving channels commencing adjacent and extending rearwardly from said beveled ends and portions of those' e'nds may constitutecoactiveelements gripping and preferably cutting the tissue when the arms' are brought together as by advancing `the outer needle to cover both elements of the tissue holding member.

l' In accordance with the invention, it is preferred that it be possible to slide the tissue retaining needle forwardly relative to the'biopsy needle only when the apex of the'beveled ends'of the tissue holding needle is diametr'icallyalin'ed with the apex of the tissue piercing point ofthe biopsy needle for this relationship of theneedles ensures the most eiie'ctive tissue cutting action. Additionally, provision is made so that the relative position of the beveled or free ends of the tissue holding needle and the apex of the biopsy needle can be readily measuredand, preferably, means are provided `to permit a different maximum movement ot the tissue retaining needle relative tothe biopsy needle in the case of a soft tumor than is possible where a biopsy is to be made of a hard tumor.

VIn Vthe accompanying drawings, there are shown illustrative embodiments of the invention from which these and other of its objectives, novel features and advantages will be readily apparent.

ln the drawings: l l

FIG. 1 is a partly sectioned side view illustrating the insertion of the vdevice into tissue with the tissue holding member positioned to function as an ohturator,

' FIG. r2 is a somewhat similar view illustrating the advance of the holding memberrelative to the needle into the tissue, y

3 is also asimilar View illustrating the advancement ofthe outer needle to bring the elements ofthe tiss'ue holding member into coactive engagement,

y FIG. 4 isl a section taken along the indicated lines 4-4 of FIG.1,

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary and partly sectioned view il lustrating another embodiment of the invention,

FIG. 6 is a side elevation illustrating a further embodiment of the invention, t 1

3,951,522 Patented Sept. 26, 1961I rice FIG. 7 is a section taken along the indicated lines 7--7 of FIG. 6, FIG. 8 is a similar section but with the tissue retain 1 ing needle turned through and I FIG. 9 is a section taken along the indicated lines 9-, 1

ofFIG.8. w. A typical needle used in biopsy devices is indicated generally at ldand is shown as comprising a cannula l11i having one end beveled to form a tissue entering point 12;

and its other end secured to a hub 13 having a bore 14:l

either the seat 21, as shown in FIG. l, or the keyway' 22 to enable the member 15 to be reciprocated bctweenf the positions illustrated by FIGS. 2 and 3.

The member arm 16 terminates in a beveled point 23 adapted to lie iiush withthe point 12 of the cannula;' inthe manner of an obturator, when the key 20 is in the seat 21 as shown in FIG. l. The beveled point 23 has, a gripping and shearing surface 24 While the arm 17 has a ,beveled end 25 constituting a second gripping and shearing surface coactively engaging the surface 24 when the arms 16 and 17 are closed together. It will be noted that these arms have their mutually opposed faces chan-.1Y neled as atZo for the receptionof tissue, suggested at 27.

When the member 15 is positioned to function Within the needle 10 as an obturator, the assembled device maybe inserted into the tissue in the suspected area The member 15 may be then turned to bring the key 20. into Vregistry with the keyway 22 and advanced relative to, the needle 10 into the suspected tissue. Because of the ibeveled end 23, the arm 16 is forced laterally to expose; the beveled end 24 with the result that the arm 17 iS. forced laterally in an opposite direction. `When the needle 10 is advanced towards the beveled end 23, tissue is positively gripped and cut as the surfaces 24 and 25 are forced together into the position illustrated by FIG. 3. Move-g ment of the tissue specimen may then be initiated with assurance that it will be adequate for the purposes;v of the examination. l

In the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 5,j the tissue retaining member is indicated generally at 28 and is shown as having resilient arms 29 and 30 providedwith barbs 31 and 32, respectively. Rearwardly of thebarbs Y31 and 32, the arms 29 and 30 are channelled as at 33to receive tissue 27. The barbs 31 and 32 are; oppositely beveled and have gripping and shearing por-A tions 34 and 35 respectively operable to grip and shear the contained tissue 27 in the manner of the device illus-g` trated by FIGS. 1-4.

In the embodiment ofthe invention illustrated by FIGS;-` 6-9, the biopsy needle is generally indicated at 36 and comprises a cannula 37 provided with a tissue entering point 38 and hasits other end anchored in a hub 39 having an axial bore 40 ,in` communication `with the bore of the cannula 37. At one side of the bore 40, there isa shoulder or stop established by the transversely disposed- Pill 41. .f

The tissue holding needle is generally indicated at 42 and, like the member 15, it has a pair of resilient arms 43 of arcuate section, the arms 43 are seated against the axially disposed pin 45 and they and the pin .5 are carried by a mount 44. The mount 441 has a finger grip 46 and the free ends of the arms 43 are bevelled as at It Will be noted that the mount 44 has diametricallyopposed iiat portions 48 and 49 extending rearwardlyu from the hub entering end 50 thereof with the flat portion asoman 48 being materially longer than the flat portion 49 which has a stop shoulder 51. The proximate face of the finger grip 46 serves as a stop for the dat portion 48.

apex of the point 38. With the flat portion 48 in parallel with the stop 41, as illustrated by FIG. 7, the tissue piercing needle 42 may be advanced until stopped by the finger grip 46 'and' in this position, the instrument is best adapted for sampling soft tumors. In the sampling of hard tumors, the at portion 49 is disposed` in-parallel with the stop 41 permitting axial movement of the tissue holding needle 42 relative. to the biopsy needle 36 until the stop shoulder l engages the stop 41 as is illustrated by FIG. 8.

'In order that the relation between the two needles can be accurately determined, each of the flat portions is provided with measuring indicia 52 readable iwith reference to a position of the needles in which the apices of all points are transversely alined.

What I therefore claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: 4 l. In a biopsy instrument, a biopsy needle including a cannula beveled at one end providing a tissuepiercing point, an elongatedv needle for slidable entry into the cannula, said elongated needle including a pair of resilient arms of unequal length and joined'at one end, the free ends of said arms being-oppositely beveled to be urged 'apart on entry into tissue, the beveled end of the longer arm being of Asuch area and being so disposed as to close said cannula in the manner of an obturator, and the beveled end of the vshorter arm being wholly shielded by the beveled end of the longer arm when the arms are brought together.

Y I z. In a biopsy instrument, a biopsy needle including a cannula beveled at one end to provide a tissue piercing point and'provide at its' other end with a hub having a bore axially in communication with said cannula, a tissue holding needle slidable within said biopsy needle and including a pair of resilient arms of unequal length and joined at one end, the free ends of said arms being oppositely beveled to be urged apart on entry into tissue, the beveled end of the longer arm being of such area as to close said cannula in the manner of an obturator, the beveled end of the shorter arm being shielded by the beveled end of the longer arm when the arms are within saidcannula, the proximate faces of said members having tissue receiving channels commencing adjacent and extending rearwardly from said beveled ends, and portions of said beveled ends being coacting cutting elements operatively engageable when said arms are brought together.

3. In a biopsy instrument, a biopsy needle including a cannula beveled at one end to provide a tissue percing point and provided at its other end with a hub having `a bore axially communicating with said cannula and provided with a keywa'y and a seat angularly spaced therefrom, and a tissue holding needle slidable--within said biopsy needle and including a key and a pair of Vresilient arms of unequal length 'joined atone end, the free ends of said arms being oppositely beveled to be urged apart on entryinto tissue, the beveled end of the longer arm being of such areaand being so disposed as to close said cannula in the manner of an obturator and to lie llush with the tissue piercing point, the beveled end of the shorter arm being shielded by the beveled end of the longer arm when the arms are lwithin said cannula, said needle being proportioned to bring the beveled point of the tissue holding needle `flush with the beveled point of 4 the cannula when the key is Within the seat, said tissue holding needle being slidable relative to said biopsy needle when said key is within said keyway to advance it into tissue.

4. In a biopsy instrument, a biopsy needle including a cannula beveled at one end to provide a tissue piercing point and provided at its other end with a hub having Va bore axially communicating with said cannula and provided with a keyway and a seat angularly spaced therefrom, and a tissue holding needle slidable within said biopsy needle including a key and a pair-of resilient arms joined at one end, the proximate faces of said armsV being forwardly and outwardly inclined relative to each other at their free ends, said key and keyv/ay providing that the free ends of the needle are on opposite sides. of a diameter of the cannula that includes its point when said tissue holding needle is slidable relative to said biopsy needle when said key is within said keyway to advance tissue holding needle slidaole within said biopsy needleV and including a pair of resilient arms, the proximate faces of said arms at their free ends being forwardly and outwardly inclined relative to each other, said tissue holding needle and said hub including complemental portions arf ranged and disposed to hold said tissue holding needle against turning and to enable said tissue holding needle to be slid relative to said biopsy needle with the free arm ends disposed on opposite sides of a diameter through the cannula that includes said point. i

6. In a biopsy instrument, a biopsy needle including a, cannula beveled at one end to establish a tissue piercing point and provided at its other end with a hub having` a bore axially communicating with said cannula, and a tissue holding needle slidable within said biopsy needle, and including a pair of resilient arms, the proximate faces of said arms at their free ends being forwardly andv outwardly inclined relative to each other, said tissue holding needle and said hub including complemental portions 'arranged and disposed to enable said tissue holding needle to be slid relative to said biopsy needle in either one of two positions spaced 180 apart in which the apex of the angle dened by said faces and the apex of said point are diametrically alined, said portions also being so arranged that maximum axial movement in one position is greater than it is in the other of said positions.

7. In a biopsy instrument, a biopsy needle including a cannula beveled at one end to establish a tissue piercing point and-provided at its other end with a hub having a bore axially communicating with said cannula, and a tissue holding needle slidable within said biopsy needle and including a pair of resilient arms, the proximate facespof said arms at their free ends being forwardly and outwardly inclined relative to each other, said tissue holding needle and said hub including complemental portions arranged and disposed to enable said tissue holding needle to be slid relative to said biopsy needle in either one of two positions spaced apart in which the apex of the angle defined by said faces and the apex of said point are diametrically alined, said portions also being so arranged that vmaximum axial movement in one position Vis greater than it is in the -other of said positions, and said tissue holding needle having indicia readable in either of said positions for measuring the advance of the free ends beyond the tissue piercing point.

8. In a biopsy instrument, a biopsy needle including a cannula beveled at one end to establish a tissue piercing point and provided at its other end with a hub having a bore axially communicating with said cannula, and a tissue holding needle slidable within said biopsy needle and including a hub entering mount and a pair. of resilient arms, the proximate faces of said arms at theirfree ends being forwardly and outwardly inclined relative to each other, said mount being provided with diametrically opposed parallel ilat surfaced portions extending rearwardly different distances from the hub entering end thereof, said hub bore having a stop preventing entry of said mount therein except when either one of said portions is positioned to pass said stop thereby providing two positions in which said mount can be entered into said hub to advance said tissue holding needle relative to said cannula, said at surfaced portions being located relative to the apex of the angle defined by said faces to maintain said apex and the apex of said cannula point in a longitudinal plane inclusive of the axis of said cannula in either of said positions.

9. In a biopsy instrument, a biopsy needle including a cannula beveled at one end to establish a tissue piercing point and provided at its other end with a hub having a bore axially communicating with said cannula, and a tissue holding needle slidable within said biopsy needle and including a hub entering mount and a pair of resilient arms, the proximate faces of said arms at their free ends being forwardly and outwardly inclined relative to each other, said mount being provided with diarnetrically opposed parallel at surfaced portions extending rearwardly diiferent distances from the hub entering end thereof, said hub bore having a stop preventing entry of said mount therein except when either one of said portions is positioned to pass said stop, and each flat portion bearing indicia readable with reference to the hub measuring the movement of said free ends beyond said point.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,835,287 Donovan Dec. 8, 1931 1,867,624 Hoiman July 19, 1932 2,198,319 Silverman Apr. 23, 1940 2,739,585 Ayre Mar. 27, 1956 

